OH Stone Fab Hit with Safety Fines

Thursday, July 28, 2016 @ 02:07 PM gHale

An Ohio stone fabricator exposed workers the risks of hearing loss and respiratory damage, the same dangers found at the facility in 2012, said officials at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

That is why OSHA investigators issued $63,360 in fines for two willful, three repeated and two serious violations to Cleveland Granite & Marble, after agency officials inspected the Cleveland, OH-based facility in February.

“OSHA has again found Cleveland Granite & Marble permitting an environment that exposes employees to potentially deafening noise and debilitating respiratory hazards, as well as dangerous machine hazards found more recently,” said Howard Eberts, area director of OSHA’s Cleveland office. “Occupational noise exposure can lead to permanent hearing loss and silica dust produced in stonework is a known respiratory hazard that can cause cancer, obstructive pulmonary disease and other health complications. The company needs to re-evaluate its safety and health programs and ensure workers are provided the training and equipment necessary to protect them from injury and illness on the job.”

OSHA’s follow-up inspection found the employer:
• Exposed workers to noise levels above the action level.
• Did not train workers about noise hazards or evaluate them annually for occupational exposure to noise. Inspectors found the company had not provided hearing tests or training since 2013.
• Allowed employees to change saw blades without using procedures to prevent unintentional operation of machinery exposing them to amputation hazards.
• Failed to install proper machine guards on a bridge saw used to cut granite.
• Allowed multiple violations of respiratory protection standards, such as not providing fit testing and establishing procedures for respirator use.
• Failed to train employees the use of fire extinguishers.